


An Empire's Second Chance

by theawesomelights



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Baba Turkey, Gen, Ottoman Family, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-23 13:22:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11403294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theawesomelights/pseuds/theawesomelights
Summary: Turkey escorts TRNC to a world meeting. Tension ensues. The Ottoman Family are more alike than they care to believe. TRNC is a cute kid and Turkey wants the best for him.





	An Empire's Second Chance

**Author's Note:**

> Timestamp: Mid 2014, after the resumption of Cyprus negotiations.
> 
> Disclaimer: I am an American, and while I did research into the Cyprus conflict, I do not know it first hand and the way that I am portraying it here is simply fictional. I mean no offense to anyone who is involved in the conflict in real life. For simplicity's sake, TRNC is going to be referred to as “Northern Cyprus” in this fic.

Turkey took Northern Cyprus’s hand and lead him through the crowd of nations to find a seat at the conference table. No one even acknowledged that he was there with Turkey, except for Pakistan, who weakly smiled at the boy before turning around to continue her conversation with Iran. Northern Cyprus tugged at Turkey’s sleeve, “Do you think that she’ll talk to me again?”

 

“I’m sure she will eventually. They all will,” Turkey said, trying to keep malice towards the other nations out of his voice in case anyone was listening to them.

 

Soon after Turkey and Northern Cyprus settled into their seats, the official part of the meeting started. The second that Germany stood up and began talking, Turkey felt his mind begin to wander.

 

These damn meetings happened once every year. Too damn often, for Turkey's taste. It felt like just yesterday that he was sitting in a conference room in Washington DC, listening to Germany drone on and on about “world affairs”. This particular time the meeting was a conference room in Amsterdam. The room looked the same, and they were all sitting in their usual arrangement around a long table. Everyone took their turn hosting, everyone seemed to have the same damn conference room. 

 

When Netherlands hosted, or Turkey was just in the area, they would often end up smoking more than one substance together and having sex. Turkey looked at him, sitting at the head of the table like a gracious host. Nothing was going to happen tonight. Those weren’t the type of activities of a father, and he was in full “dad mode” as Hungary teased during her last visit.

 

As always, it was Germany talking at the head of the table because, face it, he was the only one who gave more than two shits about these meetings. Most of their bosses would be having a meeting for the United Nations, and talking about the same pointless things. Most of the other nations were old enough that the meetings didn’t feel like they mattered. They blurred together. What was a year when most of them were centuries old?

 

For most of their lifetimes, the countries used to fight bloody wars and conquered each other without mercy. There was no more conquesting, no more empires. Those were different days. 

 

Turkey was a different person, literally. Times had changed drastically and it was hard to keep up with it. Sitting in a conference room with the nations that he once owned, politically and physically, was almost surreal. Sitting there with a kid,  _ his  _ kid, one that he wanted to make perfect, was even more surreal. He could not afford to fuck up with Northern Cyprus. 

 

Turkey looked around the dull room. Most of the others were passed out or so focused on their margin doodles that they may as well have been in another world. There were a lot of glazed over eyes.  _ Typical _ , Turkey thought, and then he took it back because he was not one to be a hypocrite. 

 

Greece, who was next to him with only Cyprus in between, was asleep as usual. Greece’s chest rose and fell evenly. He had been asleep for a while. Not making a very good impression on the EU folks he so needed to please. 

 

England was glaring at Greece from his metaphorical high and mighty throne, surrounded by his brothers and his precious aura of poshness. Turkey made eye contact with the brit and quickly regretted it because England glanced down at Northern Cyprus and made an award-worthy grimace.

 

As England just pointed out oh-so-pleasantly, on Turkey's other side sat little Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Turkey felt a surge of protectiveness. He wasn’t in the mood to tolerate the other nation’s hostility towards his kid. 

 

Getting Nothern Cyprus into the meeting had been somewhat of a fiasco. He was sitting there only because Turkey threw a big fit, said that if his kid was alive that he at least should be able to sit in on meetings to learn. The way that the recent negotiations had been going, Northern Cyprus would be joining them soon anyway. This was a point that got Germany to give in and stop barring the door  _ just this once _ . (Though that could possibly be attributed to the mention of a certain albino that was still allowed into all the meetings.) If it had been a low blow, Turkey didn’t care. He is ticked off about last year’s “technical issue” with the EU.

 

Back in the present, Turkey thought that his little Kuzey looked adorable. His legs were too short to reach the ground and his brows furrowed in concentration, watching Germany's every move and gesture. He was actually taking notes. How cute! Turkey reached over and ruffled his hair, which earned him a glare from those familiar green eyes, but it was totally worth it. Much to Turkey’s surprise, there were no doodles in the margin that he could see at a glance. The kid really was serious last night when he said he wanted to come along to  _ study _ . 

 

Germany, done droning on for the moment, actually sat down. Apparently, he could only talk about the global economy for so long. Germany passed the microphone over to Netherlands, who stood up to announce a short break in his curt manner. Fifteen minutes of freedom to stretch and raid the cheap buffet. Or, fifteen minutes to get busy, because that seemed to happen more than Turkey would have thought. If he didn’t know any better. Going to the bathroom at these meetings involved the risk of accidental voyeurism. If Kuzey had to go, they would go next door. 

 

“So, what do you think?” Turkey asked over the clatter of papers rustling and chairs scraping.

 

“There seems to be a lot of sleeping. Why is no one acting seriously other than Germany?”

 

Turkey laughed, “You are young and have ambitions. Keep that up. In a couple centuries you’ll be sleeping through these like the rest of us. Keep up your notes, too. You look responsible. Hard for the others  _ not  _ to take you seriously when you’re the only one paying attention.”

 

“I know I look responsible, that’s the point,” Kuzey said, looking proud of himself until he frowned, “You have ambitions, don’t you baba?”   
  


“Not much anymore,” Turkey answered honestly, “Conquered most of Europe already, been there done that. I used to be an empire you know.”

 

“I know. You tell me that everyday.”

 

“Does he tell you about how he kidnapped me when I was just about your age?” Greece said. It seemed that he was now awake and leaning over Cyprus in order to butt in.

 

Turkey bit his lip. He could tell what Greece was doing. He was  _ not  _ going to get into a fight with Greece here, “No, not now, not in front of the kids.”

 

“Get rid of yourself while you can, kid,” Greece leaned back in his seat, his face emotionless, “Your  _ baba  _ is dangerous.”

 

At that, Turkey stood up, throwing his chair back, “Leave him out of this, brat!”

 

Cyrus sighed and swore under his breath, “Turkey, sit down. Greece, stop it. Please.”

 

Turkey stood for a minute longer, glaring at Greece and weighing his options. His hand was already in a tight fist, and Greece looked so smug. It would be easy, satisfying to wipe that look off his face. But he did not want to do this in front of Kuzey. He listened to Cyprus.

 

The silence in the room was broken by the scratch of metal on tile as Turkey scooched his chair back to the table. The four of them were the only ones left in the room, Turkey barely noticed how quickly everyone had left. Kuzey looked up at him, obviously uncomfortable with the weight that the air had taken. Turkey tried to smile back but he was still focusing on not tackling Greece on the spot. He could only do one thing at a time. 

 

Turkey could feel Cyprus’s frustration next to him. The younger nation was wringing his hands and biting his lip. He had been trying so hard lately, to say the right thing around them. He has grown accustomed to pulling them apart over the years. To ignoring what they were saying and keep the fragile peace or civility. When Greece and Turkey argued about his brother though, Cyprus could not separate himself from the emotions involved. Turkey took a moment to feel guilt about putting Cyprus in the position of middleman. Only a moment. 

 

Greece was also stewing. Turkey knew even before he saw the tell tale signs that betrayed the Greek’s stoic features. The pinch of his left eyebrow and the tenseness in his jaw. The brat was trying to provoke him. To what end, Turkey was sure that he would find out soon enough. 

 

It was Northern Cyprus who spoke up first, “Brother, I would like to get food. Baba said there would be a buffet.”

 

“Good idea, let’s go find it,” Cyprus agreed and stood up together with Northern Cyprus. They went towards the door. He turned around before closing it behind him, “You two  _ stay here _ and  _ be civil _ .”

 

Turkey grunted in response and waited until the door clicked shut before addressing Greece, “Remember when he was just a kid?”

 

The Greek huffed.

 

“Remember when we got along?”

 

“When, exactly, was that?” Greece asked, not bothering to open his eyes.

 

“Good point,” Turkey said, and then to cover up his mistake of agreement, “You used to listen to me.”

 

This time Greece did open his eyes, “I  _ had  _ to. You’re memory is failing, geezer. Have I listened to you since I left? I can be different than you. I don’t have to do what you say.”

 

They had this same fight before. Hundreds of times before. If they were in the 1800s, there would have been blood on the floor already. If they were in the 1900s, Turkey would have punched him already. Progress had been made between them. Turkey pointed this out to the younger man. 

 

“Yes, progress. We haven’t hit each other yet. Notice the yet,” Greece mumbled.

 

“That a threat, kid?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“Can we cut the bullshit for once? What do you want. You're being more petty than usual today,” Turkey hissed through clenched teeth, because he really did want to cut the bullshit.

 

“And you’re certainly making a statement, bringing  _ him _ here!”

 

“It’s not your decision! Cyprus agreed that it would be a good idea for his  _ brother  _ to come along. And look at them! They’re getting along. You shouldn’t have anything to do with the both of them! It’s not your problem.”

 

“By that logic, it isn’t your problem either!”

 

“Who else is going to help Kuzey if I don’t?! I remember when you were young and needed me,” Turkey spat out.

 

“To cut the bullshit, as you say, I have never needed you,” This time it was Greece standing up. Turkey rose to meet him, their faces so close that he could feel the other man’s heavy breath.

 

“That isn’t what you said last month in my bed,” And Turkey smirked after that because it worked. Greece was blushing. Not a conventionally cute blush, but a red faced and angry blush. One that was quite familiar. One that Turkey has grown to love. To crave.

 

Despite the change in the air, Greece did not back down. He did not move in closer either, “Whatever you tell yourself at night.”

 

The shrug that followed was what made Turkey loose his grip on civility. He lunged, grabbing on to the Greek’s neck and squeezing. There weren’t words that followed, only the grunts of the two nations struggling to dominate the fight. It went back and forth, like it always did in these times. Turkey lost track of time, his vision closing in on Heracles's face. Only hearing his own blood pounding in his ears.

 

When the other nations came back into the conference room, they were greeted by the sight of Greece pinning Turkey down on his stomach and twisting the other’s arm. Egypt made no move to stop them immediately, but Japan rushed to pull them apart. He grabbed Greece’s waist and pulled with little effect. It is only with Cyprus, Germany, and Egypt’s help that the fighting men are pulled apart. 

 

“Again?! Can we have one meeting without you two- you- going  _ at it _ ?” Germany yelled. 

 

The men in question panted and glared at each other. The room returned to normal, nations all returning to their seats and resuming conversation. 

 

Egypt switched spots with Greece, putting another body between him and Turkey. Netherlands called the meeting back to order. This time it was France’s turn to talk. Things went on. Northern Cyprus crawled into the chair next to him but did not say anything. 

 

To distract himself from the tension he felt hovering over his side of the table, Turkey looked around the room. Someone else to focus on. Italy, next to Germany, was trying to show the man whatever margin-masterpiece he created this time. 

 

The meeting eventually ended. This time Turkey was not going to wait for all the others to leave before him. He was one of the first to stand up. Northern Cyprus followed his lead and gathered up his notes. Turkey reached for his hand.

 

“No, babba. Dignified countries don’t hold hands!”

 

Turkey smiled, laughed even, “Alright Kuzey. You can be dignified.”

 

They left the building together, but Northern Cyprus insisted on waiting by the doors for his brother to come out. Turkey excused himself when he saw Netherlands. 

  
“Hey, Ned!”

 

“What?”

 

“Sorry about the whole… fight during one of your meetings,” Turkey said, though he didn’t sound all that apologetic.

 

“To be expected. I suppose I  _ won’t  _ be seeing you tonight?” 

 

“No, probably not. Next time, bro.”

 

Netherlands nodded. They had a sort of half hug and then Turkey returned to where Northern Cyprus was.

 

“I said goodbye to big brother, can I come home with you tonight?”

 

“Of course!” Turkey readily agreed. He loved having the kid over. He got to show him old shit and distract himself from the bad memories that often came out with them. He got to try and make Kuzey laugh and have someone to dote on, “Let’s go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> OKAY SO my /favorite/ part of this is when everyone else is getting up to leave and Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, and TRNC are all sitting and grimacing trying not to explode. I imagined that they all had the same look on their faces. 
> 
> And without further ado, the numerous footnotes we all expect after a hetalia fic that tries to be accurate
> 
> Footnotes:   
> 1\. Pakistan’s brief nod to TRNC is a nod to when Pakistan (and Bangladesh) legally acknowledged TRNC as a country, but was pressured by the US/UN to retract that acknowledgement. http://www.innercitypress.com/undip1trnc102810.html
> 
> 2\. Why is England grimacing at TRNC? Well, England (or rather the UK) is heavily involved in Cyprus negotiations. Obviously the UK is not the only part of the UN that is part of them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Peacekeeping_Force_in_Cyprus 
> 
> 3\. Why is Turkey using Kuzey to refer to TRNC? That’s his name in turkish! At least according to google translate “Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti” is. So “Kuzey” means “Turkish”, and just using Kuzey is like a nickname. Also I’ve seen it used in the fandom too. His human name is apparently Tarkan Adnan. http://hetalia.wikia.com/wiki/Turkish_Republic_of_Northern_Cyprus 
> 
> 4\. On the time frame: The negotiations for Cyprus seem to be the slowest moving in history. In 2014, they were starting up again, and there was some significant progress made with the EU. http://mfa.gov.ct.tr/cyprus-negotiation-process/cyprus-negotiations/resumption-of-the-negotiation-process/ 
> 
> 5\. I think that it’s common knowledge that Greece is not in good with the EU right now because of financial issues. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/business/international/greece-debt-crisis-euro.html?_r=0
> 
> 6\. Turkey has applied to join the EU in the past and has not been accepted. There are a lot of reasons for this, and when Turkey has negotiations with the EU, TRNC eventually comes up. Because of Turkey’s support of TRNC, there have been even more obstacles for Turkey in regards to the EU.
> 
> 7\. TRNC is at “observer” status in four different world-wide organizations. In Hetalia world, it makes sense that this would lead to him being an observer at a world meeting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_Northern_Cyprus#International_memberships_and_representations 
> 
> 8\. Greece won independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1832, thus the 1800s are referred to as the start of “progress”.
> 
> 9\. In 2017 as I write this, the negotiations are still happening but not producing results. http://www.trtworld.com/europe/cyprus-leaders-meet-amid-pressure-for-a-peace-deal-389134 
> 
> 10\. Why am I portraying Turkey and Netherlands being so close? Idk, I think I read a fic where it was mentioned and I liked the idea. The countries are actually pretty involved economically, and have a pretty friendly history. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands%E2%80%93Turkey_relations
> 
> 11\. I feel like the ending is not.. Idk. expect a chapter two?


End file.
